David Cameron rallies Tories in crunch vote on EU

DAVID Cameron last night sounded a call to arms to Tory MPs over his plan for a historic referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union.

David Cameron and the Conservatives want to give people a choice on Europe

On the eve of today’s crunch Commons vote, the Prime Minister sent an email to Conservative supporters promising the British people a say on links with Brussels for the first time “in decades”.

A Private Members Bill to trigger an in-or-out referendum by the end of 2017 is expected to clear a major Commons hurdle today with mass support from Tory MPs.

The political picture here is a simple one. Conservatives want to give people a choice on Europe. Labour don’t – they’re refusing to back our Bill

Prime Minister, David Cameron

It gives a huge boost to the Daily Express crusade to quit the EU.

In his email to Tory supporters, the Prime Minister wrote: “The Bill has my full support. It has support from across the parliamentary party, ministers and back- benchers, Conservatives of all views. We are united behind it and together we will vote for it.

“The political picture here is a simple one. Conservatives want to give people a choice on Europe. Labour don’t – they’re refusing to back our Bill.”

Ed Miliband was facing a growing split among Labour over the referendum proposal last night.

Up to 30 Labour MPs are expected to defy their leader’s call for them to stay away from today’s Commons debate.